Science is Magic

92

GLOSSARY

air pressure force

of air that presses

down on a surface

atmosphere layer

of gases that

surrounds a planet

atoms tiny

particles. Atoms

make up all matter

aurora bands of

colored light

in the night sky,

especially in

polar regions

balance sense

that stops a person

from falling over;

the even spread of

the weight of an

object, keeping it

upright and steady

bioluminescence

ability of some

living things to

produce and

give off light

blind spot small

area of the retina in

the eye that is not

sensitive to light.

Nerve fibers leave

the eye at the blind

spot and form the

optic nerve

chromatophore

type of skin cell

that contains a

sac of colored

chemical. If the sac

is stretched out, the

cell changes color

conductor

substance that

allows heat or

electricity to pass

through it easily

crystal solid with a

recognizable shape,

such as a cube

electron one

of three types

of tiny particle

inside an atom.

Electricity is the

flow of electrons

erosion changes

in the surface of the

Earth as features

get worn away

by the weather

escapologist

performer who

escapes from

restraints, such

as handcuffs, ropes,

or chains, as quickly

as possible

force push or pull

that causes things

to move, change

direction, change

speed, or stop

moving

friction force

that stops objects

from sliding over

each other

gravity force that

pulls one object

toward another.

Gravity is the

reason why objects

fall to the ground

inertia tendency

everything has to

avoid movement

or change

US_092-093_Glossary.indd 92 09/10/2018 10:16